1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Further, the present invention relates to a process cartridge, a developing device, a developer amount detecting system, and a developer container.
Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (e.g., an LED printer and a laser beam printer), and an electrophotographic facsimile apparatus.
A process cartridge is one in which at least one of charging means, developing means, and cleaning means, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member, are formed into an integral unit in the form of a cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, or one in which at least developing means and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are formed into an integral unit in the form of a cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses using the electrophotographic image forming process, a process cartridge system has been widely adopted in which an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting thereon are formed into an integral unit in the form of a cartridge that is detachably mountable to the main body of an image forming apparatus. In such a process-cartridge-type electrophotographic image forming apparatus, the user is enabled to replace the cartridge in person. Thus, in some apparatuses of this type, means is provided which informs the user of consumption of the developer.
In a conventional developer amount detecting device, two electrode bars are provided inside the developer container of the developing means, and a variation in the capacitance between the two electrode bars is detected to thereby detect whether there is any developer in the container. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-100571 discloses a developer amount detecting device which is provided with a developer detecting electrode member formed by interdigitating, instead of two electrode bars, two parallel electrodes arranged in parallel at a predetermined interval in one plate in a protrusion-and-recess-like fashion, the developer detecting electrode member being provided on the lower surface of the developer container. In this device, a variation in the capacitance between the parallel electrodes arranged in a planar fashion is detected to thereby detect whether there is any developer in the container.
The above-described developer amount detecting devices are designed to detect whether there is any developer in the developer container, and is used to detect a substantial reduction in the amount of developer immediately before it is used up.
If it is possible to successively detect the remaining amount of developer in the developer container, the user will be enabled to know to what degree the developer has been consumed, which will be very convenient for the user.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer container, a process cartridge, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus in which it is possible to successively detect the remaining amount of developer by the main body of the image forming apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a developer container, a process cartridge, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus in which it is possible to clean the surface of a developer detecting member.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a developer container, a process cartridge, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus in which an improvement has been achieved in terms of efficiency in the attachment of a developer removing member.
A further object of the present invention is provide a developer container in which it is possible to remove developer adhering to the detection region of a detecting member capable of successively detecting the remaining amount of developer, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and a developing device which are provided with such a developer container.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a developer container in which there is no need for the operator to adjust the attaching orientation of the developer removing member at the time of assembly to thereby achieve an improvement in assembly efficiency, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and a developing device which are provided with such a developer container.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a developer container in which, even if the developer removing member is in contact with the detection region of the detecting member in an orientation different from a predetermined orientation, it is possible to correct it to the correct orientation through rotation of the developer removing member, and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a process cartridge, and a developing device which are provided with such a developer container.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.